A Dialogue With Ronald Ross(Artland Dragons)

Ronald Ross is a 26 year old 188 cm point guard from North Hobbs, New Mexico. He played at Texas Tech from 2001-2005 under BBLLogolegendary coach Bobby Knight.

In 2004-2005 in his senior year, he played 33 games and exploding averaging 17.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.0apg, 2.6spg, FGP: 51.9%, 3Pts: 43%. He reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2005.

He then turned professional and played in 2005-2006 in Italy in the Lega 2 for Univer Castelletto Ticino playing 12 games and averaging 9.3ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.6apg, 2.2spg, 2FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 24.0%, FT: 76.5%.

In 2006-2007, he played in the CBA for the Butte Daredevils playing 48 games and averaging 15.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 3.8apg, Steals-2(2.4spg), FGP: 49%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 74.2%.

In 2007-2008, he came to Germany to play for ENBW Ludwigsburg playing 34 games and averaging 14.4ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.3apg, Steals-2(1.7spg), 2FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 77.9%. He also played 10 ULEB Cup games averaging 11.7ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.9apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 50%, 3PT: 44%, FT: 66.7%. He reached the 2008 BBL cup final losing to the Artland Dragons.

In 2008-2009, he started in Isarel for Maccabi Givat Shmuel playing 8 games and averaging 14.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 57.7%, 3PT: 11.8%, FT: 66.7% before moving to Maccabi Haifa Heat playing 6 games and averaging 7.2ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.7apg, 2.0spg.

That was a short stay as he then continued back to Germany to play for the Artland Dragons playing 12 games and becoming a central figure in their offense averaging 15.8ppg, 3.3rpg, 4.0apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 59.0%, 3PT: 57.1%, FT: 70.0%.

Ronald spoke to German Hoops some weeks ago before heading to Germany.

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Jerome Bridgewater’s diary entry #2

This practice week was very rough. Going two-a-days is not that easy like I thought it would. My legs got so tired on Tuesday already. bridgewaterteampicEverything was sore. I was even too tired to fix myself something to eat at the evening. I was just lying in my bed resting.

Probably because we were also going out to the track to do some running Tuesday afternoon. It didn’t seem too hard and I won the first 400 metre run. I felt comfortable and in such a great shape. So I got a little bit too loud and I asked Coleman Collins for a race for the next 200metre sprint. Winner gets a free Burger king menu. Well he just took off. It wasn’t even close. He was probably at the finish line while I still had to run 20 metres. He is so fast for a Big Man. All he said afterwards is that he wants a large cup of Apple Cider and some extra bacon on his burger.

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Teamcheck: EnBW Ludwigsburg

EnBW Ludwigsburg are looking to land back in the playoff places in 2009-2010 and want to find some of that magic that was present some de_enbw_ludwigsburg_logoyears ago as ex coach Silvano Poropat led the team into the playoffs.

Since then Poropat was dismissed and Rick Stafford was unable to form a consistent team last season missing the playoffs. Since their spectacular 2006-2007 season, where they finished the season at position 2 with a 25-9 record, not much greatness was able to follow the last two seasons except a 13th place finish in 2008 and 11th place ending last season. The most notable highlight was reaching the BBL cup final in 2008 losing to a motivated Artland Dragons. This season will see some changes, besides a good room cleaning with the roster, a new coach has come with the Regional train from Tuebingen with Tolga Öngören and the team say goodbye to the small and cosy Rundsporthalle as the team will move into a new arena.

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In Between Ballerina Steps With Derrick Allen

Derrick Allen is a 203cm forward that grew up in Gadsen Alabama. He is a rugged inside player who attacks the glass, will provide help on BBLLogothe boards, is a solid defender in the post, a competitor and hard worker that can score facing the basket and has shooting range to the foul line. He started his career at Southern Union State from 1998-2000.

He then transferred to Mississippi and played there from 2000-2003.

He then started his professional basketball career in Iceland playing for Keflavikur ripping up the FIBA Europe Cup playing 8 games and averaging 26.6ppg, 9.4rpg, 2.5apg, 1.8spg and playing 22 games in the Iceland league averaging 23,4ppg, 10.5rpg. He won the Icelandic league and cup title in his rookie season.

In 2004, he ventured to Germany and has played there ever since with two years in Karlsruhe, one year in Leverkusen and he is now starting his third season for The Deutsche Bank Skyliners.

In 2006-2007, he led Leverksuen into the playoffs and led the BBL in scoring playing 38 games and averaging 16.5ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, 2FGP: 50.6%, 3FGP: 32.3%, FT: 72.2%. In 2007-2008, he was second best scorer in the BBL for Frankfurt playing 43 games and averaging 18.1ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.9apg, 2FGP: 50.4%, 3PT: 36.1%, FT: 75.6%; and playing 10 ULEB Cup games finishing as the third best scorer averaging 19.9ppg, 7.9rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 54%, 3PT: 28.6%, FT: 72.9%. He has reached three BBL playoffs in five seasons and played in the 2008 BBL Allstar game. He had a chat with us about his summer, Skyliners and Usain Bolt.

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A Welcome To Germany Interview With Mr. Assist Jared Jordan

Jared Jordan is a 24 year old 188 cm pure point guard who understands how to run a team and has great court vision and leadership and BBLLogohails from Hartford Connecticut. He played at Kingswood-Oxford prep school before going to Marist from 2003-2007.

He really made a name for himself as he gave the word assist a new meaning as he was leading the nation in assists in his junior and senior years. In his last year, he played 33 games and averaged 17.2ppg, 5.9rpg and led the NCAA in assists with 8.7apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 29.8%, FT: 69.0%. He finished as Marist’s all-time leader in assists with 813 and ranks sixth all-time in points with 1,538.

It was no surprise that he was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round at #45.

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Jerome Bridgewater(Ratiopharm Ulm) 2009-2010 BBL Diary Entry #1

Today was the day, I was waiting for such a long time in my life. Today, I have had my first professional basketball practice with some of bridgewaterteampicthe best athletes in Germany.

Not just that it was my first proffesional practice, it was in front of a crowd of 500 people. It was very weird for me. I cannot even remember the last time I was playing in front of a crowd like that in a real game. It was very new too me. Unfortunately I was very nervous at the beginning and had some troubles to find my shot at all. We did some transition drills, played some three on three and at the end a five on five pick up game.

Our new team is very young and athletic.We have very exciting players with Rocky Trice, Christian Burns and Coleman Collins and also John Bryant. I think the crowd did like what they have seen today. We are an almost complete new team. The only starter that returned was Lee Humphrey. It is very exciting for me to get the chance to guard and get guarded by a player like Lee Humphrey. I used to watch him on the screens while I was in the states and while he was playing for the University of Florida. I think it will be very helpful to compete against those guys. I of course, also have had some struggles today. But I think i am going to get used to it very soon.

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Is This The Season Where Derrick Allen Makes A Patent On His Ballerina Moves?

Derrick Allen might secretly be dreaming of the London Olympics in 2012 as being a opponent for 100 meter record holder Usain Bolt from Jamaica as he was clocked at 10,7 on the track in Frankfurt last week, but one thing that wont be a dream to anyone will be his ballerina moves that he will discharge again in BBL arenas with the same intensity and ferocity of when Mike Tyson is beating up a life size Evander Holyfield punching bag.

Allen has used his ballerina moves to near perfection and it is something he learned through the years, that one could almost warrant a patent for the Derrick Allen ballerina move in 2009.

“All the post moves that I use, I got from watching different big men, while I was growing up. I think, I used them so much is because most of the post guys I go against are 10-20 kilo’s heavier than me. So I got to use my quickness, and fakes too keep the defenders off balance, but I hope I will be able too use those moves more this season”, stressed Allen.

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Teamcheck: Paderborn Baskets

The past three years the Paderborn Baskets have done a terrific job in working very efficient with a limited budget. While the average paderbornbudget in BBL should be something on the better side of 2.5 million €, Paderborn had to deal with the minimum budget of about 1 million €uros.

Still it did not prevent Coach Doug Spradley from forming decent rosters that never even had to fear facing relegation. In Germany’s second division Spradley’s team had a sensational 2006/2007 campaign when they remained unbeaten for the whole season and got promoted to BBL. If you count the wins of the 05/06 season and add them up with those wins of the next season, the team had an unbelievable winning streak of 50 wins in a row before playing BBL.

But no one was surprised when that winning streak could not last in Germany’s first division. Of course you can’t buy success with money, but it surely makes things a lot easier.

If your financial situation does not allow you to sign players that almost guarantee you quality you have to do some nice scouting work.

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Thomas Schoeps And Nicholas May: Two Germans To Keep In The Long Term Memory Bank

Having a big dream and living it are two completely different things with the latter mostly being practiced with a proud smile while sleeping. American ice hockey goalie Jim Craig had a dream to play for the 1980 mens Olympic hockey team, win the gold medal anDBB-Logo_0d later play for his home town team Boston Bruins and they all came true, but when it comes to young Germans Thomas Schoeps and Nicholas May, taking it one step at a time is essential, because they aren´t dreaming too big, but moreover just want to play what they love most, which is basketball and that in the United States.

Schoeps and May are two daring and hungry Germans who will not try to develop further in Germany with the possibility of getting forgotten, but make the giant dream of crossing the big pond and playing basketball in the land that gave the world Michael Jackson, McDonalds and Barack Obama and make it a reality.

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Teamcheck: EWE Baskets Oldenburg

imagesFor some years the EWE Baskets Oldenburg had been known around the league for having a nice budget, signing big names, but still they could never win a single play-off series. No matter how promising the teams looked after the quarterfinals the season was over.

Under the guidance of American head coach Don Beck Oldenburg was like a sleeping giant. Without a doubt everyone could easily see that his teams had a lot of potential, but somehow all those big names never made a decent team and the northern german team was a disappointment in that period.

After years without making it to the semi-finals, Oldenburg decided to replace unlucky Beck in 2007.

Only one option in Doug Spradley’s contract with Paderborn made Predrag Krunic the new head coach of EWE Baskets Oldenburg. Allegedly Spradley had already signed with Oldenburg but then he had to find out that he could not leave Paderborn. So Oldenburg’s management had to find a new solution and decided to go for their plan b: Predrag Krunic.

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